by Jason Melzer
Looking directly above me I could see the world that I had imagined now made from translucent shields. Touching the shields with my finger I started to watch as blue molten steel began to flow into the world. As it spun it allowed me to touch it many times and the iron filled it as I watched the fiery wheel above me. The sphere whispered again.
“Now with your flame and this alloy quench and temper this world to bring form and life.” Looking back to the sphere I saw a ball of white and rainbow shimmering Quantum alloy. Taking my hand off of the star I grabbed the alloy and with my finger I traced along the ring, engines and sail of the world. Pulling my finger away I touched the line of alloy circling the world before it came to life spreading and forming the different systems.
The engines were carved out and came to life. The sail for the sun was refined before it turned on and the gears along the world’s sides came to life. The engines fired countering the spin created by the gears as the world moved. My world came alive. Watching the world lift up above me the star and buildings next to me dimmed away into nothing. To my side the Sphere stood in a pale light below the glass walkway before it also disappeared.
My tired eyes opened and my stiff muscles moved as Link sat by my bed. Kicking the blanket off Link noticed it and turned to me whispering. “Are you thirsty?” Looking for the baby for a moment I noticed Tolan and Preti both asleep. Raj still slept in the basket on the table and the world was peaceful. Drinking some mana that Link offered me it seemed even sweeter.
Putting my wings back on the bedroom door opened revealing Quanik and a Borain woman by his side. Noticing they carried bottles and blankets Quanik called over to me. “Good morning young apprentice. My wife Tyrise will care for Rajesh while we are away.” Remembering the doll in my pocket I placed it with Raj before the small woman picked him up. Giving the baby a bottle it woke up as Tyrise spoke to him. “Rajesh is such a handsome name.”
Breakfast was black colored fruits and mana as Preti and Tolan woke up to Quanik’s answers. “Too keep it simple apprentices the Balkor are stowaways from Archon. They are nocturnal and will be active until we have left the shadow of Archon in ten days.” Preti wanted to know more. “Did the Balkor destroy your power plant?” Quanik’s soft words were clear.
“The big Balkor can generate gravity fields and feel the fabric of space. The space fabric decompiler plant must have really annoyed them because a really big one attacked the power plant. It killed itself and destroyed kilometers of city. The other Balkor followed flying up in air pockets from Archon with food before colonizing Tychod. Are you ready for the meeting apprentices?” I looked over to see everyone wearing their wing suits and my sisters answer. “We are ready. Show us the way.”
We walked back to the large open room where we stopped the violence earlier to discover rows upon rows of soldiers. Illuminated by the potted plants in the room their armor eerily shined. Motioning for us to stay at the hallway entrance Quanik moved to a stage along the wall next to us. Joining other Borain in different kinds of ornamental armor Quanik spoke to the crowd.
“Thank you all for coming on such short notice and thank you Tolajh for powering our map station with a battery. Yes the rumors are true. We have apprentices of the forge who can build us a power plant. This is why we have been assembled.” The silence was powerful as hope seemed to change the faces of the Borain. Cutting through the silence Quanik continued.
“Our first job is to find the apprentices a maintenance forge in the city. Our second is to defend the construction of a new space decompiler plant. Tolajh, Roltan and I have been assigned different areas of the city to sweep in search of the forge. Map, show us Toljah’s areas to search.” The hologram appeared showing a large portion of the capitol city. Bumping Preti’s arm I whispered to her. “Your dream, what was above the Sphere?”
Nodding my head to her my sister’s eyes went wide with realization. “The glass walkway.” Preti called out to the map. “Map. Show me a glass walkway between two buildings and above a Sphere.” The map changed before our eyes finding a section of city called Tyrgadok. I watched my sister continue to talk. “This is the location of the maintenance forge.”
All eyes in the room were shocked as Preti turned to Quanik. “How close is this to the site of the old power plant?” Quanik changed the map quickly and responded. “Two point three kilometers.” The map showed the path end in a large crater in the city, the one we saw yesterday from the skies. Quanik continued addressing the meeting. “It appears the maintenance forge is located in a large Balkor nest. We must run it from Tyrgadok to the crater while holding the crater.”
I didn’t understand why this was so important. Calling over to Quanik I asked. “Why are you worried? Can’t the gravity droids protect us at the crater?” Quanik shook his head looking away from the map. “Our security force used gravity droids and they were destroyed with ease by the Balkor. Larger specimens with influence over gravity don’t like competition. They will attack the droids, even in the defenses of the crater.”
The quiet returned and I was relieved when Tolajh broke it with planning. “We are going to be in Archons shadow for ten days and away from the light that irritates the Balkor. Megadok’s brigade is holding the crater with illuminated balloons and weapons. My force will join Quanik’s and Roltan’s soldiers in retrieving the forge. We will enter the nest with our stocks of Thego and guns. If things get ugly you will release the Thego and escape the feeding frenzy.”
Feeling Preti’s hand squeeze mine she shared an encouraging smile before looking back to the meeting. Roltan spoke out. “We will split the three main roads to Tyrgadok. My forces will be escorting Preti through the central road, Quanik’s brigade will be escorting Tolan through the factory district and Tolajh’s Tactical unit will be escorting Simran trough the population district.”
There was no pause as Roltan held up his hand. “Waiting for us are the big guns with thirteen city engines armed to fight, the Tsychal wait in the crater. To your ships, today we fight and tomorrow we find peace!” Soldiers raced as the hologram turned off and I was ready. Calmly Quanik led us to the window he opened earlier and Link stopped me speaking and holding my arm. “I will protect you at all costs young apprentice. If I am lost continue on and choose another guide when Tychod awakens. You shall be fine so keep running on your path.”
Memories of Listal passed for a moment and I watched the window swing open to the night. Preti and Tolan got similar words of encouragement before a shuttle came into view lit up and hovering in the distance. Quanik called out above the loud noise of the shuttle. “We will meet you at the crater! Go and don’t look back!” Running forward I leapt out of the window with the others to see more shuttles. My wings took flight as we were surrounded by ships positioning themselves around us escorting us to the crater.
Not looking back orange gun fire streaked up from many of the shuttles around us as we flew up above the buildings. Watching a number of black bodies drop down a bigger creature howled angrily before I saw the black streak tear through one of the shuttles ahead of us. The vessel exploded into flames and dropped past the glowing rooftops into the depths of the city. Passing the descending wreck orange streaks of gunfire followed the attacker down for a moment.
I looked beyond the glowing forests and into the crater with large floating balloons. They looked like giant powerful light bulbs revealing the landscape. I listened to a few more bursts of gunfire before we flew past the edge of the glowing forest into the skies of the crater. Soldiers were set up in small temporary fortifications with thirteen of the giant humanoid machines covered in gun barrels and launchers. Spotlights covered our approach lighting up the shuttles and almost blinding me in our descent to the ground.
As the lights moved on I landed on crushed rubble hearing the Balkor howls echo between the giant buildings. The howls continued for a few minutes before a large gun position fired. With a flash and loud bang an explosion destroyed sides of buildings on a street behind our
landing spot. Silence followed the falling rubble as I looked around to the war machines. The whole crater was well lit and the air was cool as I could see the moisture in my own breath.
Waiting in the cold Quanik finally waved us over to join them at a tower operating spotlights. Walking over I didn’t feel much safer as a pair of giant Tsychal war machines walked past us causing the ground to shake. Their guns weren’t going to stop me from needing to enter the den and the darkness. I looked away from the black city streets to the tower as we finally joined the leadership. “Good to see everyone looking healthy. Everyone with their squad!”
Tolajh waved for me and Link to join him as we easily kept stride with his short legs. Hearing Preti yelling out to me I looked over to my sister ready to hear her. “Listen to Link! He will get you back here!” Turning away from my sister I was just as worried about her as we reached a long cylinder shaped truck only a little taller than me. Over a hundred Borain soldiers carried guns and odd looking weapons as we were directed to walk behind the vehicle. Noticing the cylinder shaped truck it was covered by some kind of cloth that glowed.
As Tolajh called out orders I lifted the cloth to see through the containers wire mesh walls. The container was filled with luminescent segmented creatures that looked like worms. One side of them had small wings on each segment and the other side was covered by tentacles. Link surprised me a little when he said. “Those are seriously poisonous. Don’t let any of those things near you.”
I turned away from the container as Tolajh jumped onto the back of the truck bringing something with a few other soldiers. “Simran I know you are not allowed to kill so I have a shield for you if you want it. It even lights up like a spotlight.” Smiling when Link encouraged me to take the shield it was big enough to cover my upper body and it was bright as I shined a light onto the sides of the nearby buildings. Taking a moment to admire it Tolajh finally received orders over his radio before giving them.
“Forward!!!”
Chapter 6
Darkness around me
Walking behind the small truck the buildings seemed blacker while moving away from the safety of the crater. Floating above the truck two light balloons illuminated the buildings and street wreckage around us. Passing abandoned vehicles and silent robots I wondered if Link was worried about dying. Answering my question as if he could hear my thoughts Link spoke quietly.
“These robots were not damaged from any visible means. It looks like they all just ran out of power sometime after Tychod switched off.” A little worried about my guide I asked him. “How long will you be powered up?” Still walking slowly behind the truck I waited with anticipation as Link answered. “I have at least a month before I need to recharge. More if I stop recording our journey for download to Tychod before we leave. I would rather show your parents your bravery than save a little power.”
Tolajh was next to us on the truck watching the buildings as he asked me a question. “So why do you and the others choose to come to a dying world young apprentice?” Still walking down the road I remembered what Porah had said only days ago. Clearing my throat I remembered the journey we were sent on before answering Tolajh. “We don’t choose the world that the forge has us serve. The forge chooses and we serve until one of us becomes the forge master.”
Link spoke up as I kept looking to the sides of the buildings. “But you choose to fix things because it’s the right thing to do. Simran saved the world of Koleas while a war raged around her. She bravely served the Leshenkai.” Appreciating Links generous words I couldn’t help but smile for a moment. Tolajh turned around and looked at me from the back of his perch on the container of glowing cargo. “So who is going to save our world? Tolan or Preti?”
Looking to Tolajh with his owl like face and tall pointed ears I answered him. “My sister Preti is fixing this world.” Tolajh excitedly pushed a button on his armor reaching out to the others by radio. “Roltan come in. I just received information that your apprentice is going to be the one to fix our world. My squad can be a distraction while you double time it.” Roltan’s voice came out clearly from the radio. “We can. How do you plan on keeping everything focused on you?”
Still moving forward in the dimly lit street Tolajh replied. “With the one weapon we have that they really hate. I have a couple of arc throwers up front that will draw them all in.” Looking up as I walked I could hear the rustling of leaves and see the moving of glowing vines above on the buildings sides. Still listening to the radio Roltan spoke back. “We are running. Start now!”
Tolajh called out to the troops ahead. “Everyone halt. Arc throwers aim into the sky and give four second bursts starting now!” Stopping behind the vehicle I heard the whirring of what sounded like fans. Seeing threads of shiny metallic fabric blowing into the air above Tolajh turned off our balloon lights before it happened. I could hear thunder as I watched lightning dance between the moving metallic ribbons.
Covering my ears it was kind of loud but not quite blinding. I turned away for a few minutes as both of the weapons took turns making a lot of noise before Tolajh gave new orders. “Cease fire! Take defensive positions!” The balloon lights were still off as I could hear the vines shuffle before dimming from creatures with a blue glow. Link took my arm as Tolajh spoke to us. “You are going to need to take cover before I turn these lights on.”
We crouched alongside the truck and Tolajh turned both of the balloons on so we could see. Using the spot light on my personal shield I looked up to see the source of screeching. The building walls were covered in smaller creatures with wings that were very pale. As I looked Tolajh pointed and talked about the creatures lining the walls. “These are the juvenile Balkor. Just a little younger than the ones you helped catch at the settlement.”
One of the soldiers carrying an arc thrower called back to us. “Do you want me to clear them away now sir?” Tolajh sounded calm as I looked closer at the small bat like bodies with their mouths open shrieking excitedly. “No. Don’t fire at the young. These younger ones are not here to hunt. They are here to observe how the older Balkor hunt. They will howl before the older ones strike. If they leave they may target Roltan’s group.”
Seeing the smaller pale skinned things sniffing the air I wondered if they smelled us or the adults. Even if the young creatures with their dog like heads, tiger like fangs and bats wings were not dangerous they were scary. I could still hear them moving very softly as Link asked his own question. “How intelligent do these creatures get?” The air started to change as the creatures around us became quieter.
Breaking the silence Tolajh responded as I showed my light back along the dark road. “They are intelligent with a sense of fair play and mercy. My father once performed a raid where he and one squad mate survived. They took a wounded Balkor into a building to quietly kill it where they were ambushed by more creatures. But instead of attack they were growled at before the Balkor retreated with their wounded friend.”
The night seemed colder as Tolajh continued. “My father was ambushed two more times on the road home with his friend that night. They were let go both times. Tonight we won’t need mercy if we do this right. Forward march!” Ahead something lit up dropping in front of the truck with a wet sound. Link was quick to give me advice. “Don’t look young apprentice. It’s an arm.” Pointing my light to a bridge a few hundred feet up the sight was disturbing. A very large Balkor sat perched on the bridge side its mouth covered in blood with clothing on its perch.
I kept walking past the bridge as the clothes landed on the truck with a wet thud. I ignored the blood running down the side of the trucks cover as we reached a street intersection. Tolajh called out to the others. “All stop! Arc throwers, make some noise!” Again the two weapons were filling the sky with lightening as the younger Balkor on the sides of the buildings got excited. After a few moments the whooping howls started. The juvenile’s howls were louder than the sounds of the arcs before the weapons turned off.
The sound was
deafening as I watched a large creature pass my beam with one of the Borain soldiers in its claws. Tolajh yelled out orders as the attack commenced. “Defensive positions! Fire!” Orange streaks started to fly through the air of the intersection we had stopped in. I crouched behind the truck pointing my shield light up the road we just came from. Two larger Balkor came into the beams with orange shells flying to meet them.
Shells curved past the first and into the second which crashing into a vehicle on the side of the road. The survivor soared over our heads destroying a balloon and turned away through the intersection. Orange shells stopped flying long enough for the balloon to fall to the ground. It was now noticeably darker around us as we only had one balloon light still working. The young around us calmed for a moment as Tolajh pulled the light out of the destroyed balloon.
Together our eyes darted looking for the next attack as the sounds of howling started to rise again. Tolajh called out the direction of more attackers on the right as I saw some flying over from the left. I called out but the sound of howling was too loud for me to be heard. Orange shells flew the other way as they curved and many of them twisted down to explode on the road.